At least 21 dead as bus falls off Skyway

MANILA (2nd UPDATE) – At least 21 died after a bus fell off the Skyway on Monday morning. A Pacita-bound Don Mariano Transit bus (UVC 916) fell off the elevated part of Skyway in Barangay Marcelo Green, Parañaque City and plunged into the west service road of the southbound lane of South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) shortly before 5 a.m. An aluminum van (ULX 874) reportedly carrying at least 2 people was also completely damaged after the bus fell onto it. The driver of the van died on the spot. Barangay Marcelo Green traffic enforcer Amelia Mauricio confirmed to dzMM that 21 people died from the freak accident. At least 20 others, including bus driver Carmelo Calabcab, were rushed to the hospital. Traffic investigators have yet to determine how the bus fell off the Skyway. The bus and the closed van were heavily damaged. Skyway communications officer Ivy Vidal told ANC that the wet road may have caused the bus to ram the Skyway railings and plunged into the road below. The incident snarled traffic along SLEx. Due to the accident, the Land Transportation Regulatory and Franchising Board (LTFRB) has issued a preventive suspension for all 78 units of Don Mariano Transit. Today's incident is not the first time that a bus fell off the Skyway. On June 26, 2011, three people were killed after a Dimples Star Transport bus fell off the Skyway. [http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/metro-manila/07/26/11/bus-falls-skyway-4-hurt] – reports from Dennis Datu, dzMM; and Jerome Lantin, ABS-CBN News